Study on the dietary pattern and image of food

• Published in: Eiyōgaku zasshi Vol. 42; no. 6; pp. 329 - 338
• Main Authors: Seki, C, Kimira, M, Iwase, Y, Takano, M, Takahashi, S, Akabane, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Japanese
• Published: The Japanese Society of Nutrition and Dietetics 1984
• Subjects: college students; feeding habits; females; food beliefs; image of food; Japan; survey on dietary pattern; tokyo; Japan
• ISSN: 0021-5147; 1883-7921
• DOI: 10.5264/eiyogakuzashi.42.329

We conducted a survey on the image of 47 items of foods by using questionnaires prepared according to SD (Semantic Differential) Method. Subjects were parents of students of women's universities in Tokyo. The result is as follows. 1) Those foods in a group with increasing consumption were identified as “western”, “contemporary” or “handy”, while those in a group with decreasing consumption were regarded as “Japanese”, “traditional”, “for the aged”, or “handy” (with lesser intensity than the former group). 2) The result of the multiple variate analysis indicates that of 7 parameters of SD Method, (1) western—Japanese, (2) for special occasions—for daily life, (3) contemporary—traditional, (4) for the youth—for the aged, (5) luxurious—modest, (6) handy—troublesome, and (7) preferable—not preferable, parameters (3), (1) and (4) are highly loaded in the 1st factor. While it is necessary to confirm in terms of semantic differentiation that the meaning of each parameter is independent, these 3 parameters may be regarded as comprising a comprehensive concept of “western—Japanese”. As to the factor loadings of the second scale, parameters (6) and (2) are highly contributory. 3) When 47 items are arranged on the two dimensional scattering graph consisting of the 1st factor (x-axis) and the 2nd factor (y-axis), they are divided into 5 groups. The group with the “western” image indicated an increase in food consumption. This may be described as showing west-ernization of the dietary pattern.